


Living Color

by Cup_aTea



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bucky Barnes Recovering, First Meetings, Gay Pride, M/M, Mandatory Fun Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 09:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19128817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cup_aTea/pseuds/Cup_aTea
Summary: The street is loud.  Busy.  Colorful.Bucky kind of hates it, but he loves it at the same time.  He’s forgotten how much of a party this can be, how it looks when everyone is feeling comfortable in their skin and free to be themselves.Or, how Bucky finally meets Natasha's best friend and maybe falls a little bit in love.





	Living Color

**Author's Note:**

> For Mandatory Fun Day's prompt for Pride

The street is loud. Busy. Colorful.

Bucky kind of hates it, but he loves it at the same time. He’s forgotten how much of a party this can be, how it looks when everyone is feeling comfortable in their skin and free to be themselves.

Bucky’s life has been pretty greyscale for months. Basically, ever since he made it back stateside. Losing an arm, being separated from his unit and sent home, and adjusting to a prosthetic can do that to a person. But as he takes in the excitement of the crowd, he thinks that maybe Sam was right and he should get out more.

“All right, Bucky?” Steve asks.

Steve’s got a temporary tattoo on his cheek of the bi flag and he’s holding Sam’s hand with a big grin on his face. Bucky normally feels the need to razz him for his worrying, but he holds back his eyeroll today.

“ 'M fine,” he says.

Even as he says it, he almost gets shoulder checked by a group of teenagers. His hands clench in reflex, and he knows Sam catches it.

“We’re almost there,” Sam says.

Bucky nods.

They’re meeting Natasha and her friends at the edge of park before the parade starts. Bucky’s met Maria before, but he’s never met Clint or Kate. He knows they’re really important to Natasha and he hopes he doesn’t fuck this up.

Natasha’s standing on the grass; she’s talking with Maria and a younger woman with long black hair, but it’s the man standing next to them that grabs Bucky’s attention.

He’s shirtless, with a loose pair of pants and a rainbow flag tied around his waist. It’s moves with him, swirling around him every time his hips move. He’s tall with dirty blond hair, and his skin is dappled golden in the sunlight where he’s standing under the trees. Bucky’s having a hard time not staring at him. His arms are at least as big as Bucky’s and he’s got tattoos banding the right one. Then the guy laughs at something the girls say, and Bucky feels his breath catch. 

“Hey Natasha!” Steve yells out, waving at them with his free hand.

The whole group turns, and Bucky can see the guy’s got glitter on his cheekbones and on his abs… In fact, Bucky’s pretty sure he’s got glitter everywhere. Bucky’s always hated glitter, but now he’s rethinking that.

Bucky realizes the rest of the group’s done introductions when he hears Natasha say, “And this is Clint.”

The guy gives an awkward little wave, and Bucky has to clear his throat.

“I’m Bucky,” he says.

“Hey Bucky,” Clint says back, and his smile is warm and friendly, but a little shy, and Bucky can’t remember the last time he felt this way. His stomach is churning, and it’s butterflies not fear. His face is flushing, but it’s anticipation not anger.

When he looks away, Sam and Natasha both have knowing smirks, and Stevie is smiling like it’s his birthday.

“C’mon, let’s get a spot before there’s nowhere left. America’s going to meet us over there,” Kate says, breaking the moment. 

They all walk together to the parade route. Bucky is hyper of aware of Clint walking next to him. Clint doesn’t say much, replying to Natasha and Sam now and then, but Bucky keeps catching him looking over. That shy smile is still on his face, but it’s getting bigger, and every now and then he lets his arm jostle Bucky’s even when there’s plenty of space for them.

Bucky can hardly focus on the parade. It’s still noisy and busy, and there are a few moments that have his breath hitching in his chest in the worst way. But his friends form a protective shell around him and it helps him breath. And mostly, his attention is on Clint standing next to him, glitter and abs and carefree smiles. Especially when Clint reaches for his hand halfway through and doesn’t let go.

Bucky looks at Clint and leans into him. Clint’s smile just gets wider.


End file.
